Folding chair



Nav. 16, 1937. o. R. PLATTER FOLDING CHAIR Filed Feb. l2, 1935 4Sheets-Sheet l Nov'. 16, 1937. o. R. PLATTE FOLDING CHAIR Filed Feb. 12,1955 4 Shets-Sheet 2 INENTOR ATTO i EY Nov. 16, 193.7. QR, PLATTER Y2,099,498

' FOLDING CHAIR- Filed Feb. l2, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Nov. 16, 1937. 1o. R. PLATTER 2,099,498,

' FOLDING CHAIR Filed F'eb. l2, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Nov. Y16,1937 UNITED STATES FOLDING CHAIR -Orval R. Platter, North Vernon, Ind.,assignor to North Vernon Industries, Inc., North Vernon, Ind., acorporation of Indiana Application February 12, 1935, SeralrNo. 6,251

7 Claims.

This invention relates to folding or collapsible beach chairs or thelike, and it is an object of the invention to provide an improvedchairof simple construction in which the inclination of 5 the back of thechair can be readily adjusted to afford comfort in use; and further toprovide a chair of the above mentioned character having a sliding oradjustable seat pivoted to the back portion of the chair and supportedand constructed in an approved manner; and further to provide a foldingchair having a minimum number of cross bracing .members'but which willbe sturdy and well braced `when set up.

Other objects and advantages of the invention 15 will appear from thefollowing description of Y the several embodiments thereof shown in theaccompanying drawings wherein- Fig.f1 isa perspective view of a chairembodyingV the invention,

Fig. 2, a front nelevation View partly in section of the leg and seatportions of the same,

Fig.. 3,- a perspective view yof a modied construction,

Fig.4, a `detail view of a portion of the chair shown in Fig. 3,

Fig. 5,- a perspective View of a further modification,

Fig. 6, a longitudinal sectional view of the chair shown in Fig. l5, and

-Fig. 7, a detail view of the support for the seat. f

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 andV 2, a chair embodying theinvention may comprise pivotally connected back, seat and leg framesI0., Il and .I2 .respectively arranged to be collapsible when not in usein substantially Athe same ,manner as in the case of the chair describedand claimed in myk copending application, Ser. No. 711,745, patentedNovember .5, 1935.,..Patent .No- 2,020,207. The back frame IU comprisestwo side rails I5 and I6 connected at the upper and lower ends by crossmembers or cross bars Il, I8 and I9. A strip 26 of heavy canvas or othersuitable material isvmounted upon the back frame I to form the back ofthechair, as for example by at- Jaching the same to 'the cross membersI'I and The seat frame II comprises side rails 2| and 22 pivotally'supported on the "back frame, as for example upon the cross bar If, andconnected togetherxat their front'ends by a cross bar 23. A strip 242-of canvas or other suitable exible material is secured to the seatframe II `to form the seatof thechair, -as for example by means of theclamping strips 25 Vand 26 underneath the side rails and arranged tofasten the ends of the seat strip to said rails, said strips alsoserving as glider strips or runners as will be hereinafter more fullydescribed.

Each of the leg frames comprises a front leg 3D and a rear leg 3lpivotallysecured together at or near their upper ends by a pin or bolt32 to form an inverted V-shaped folding frame. The front legs 33 areconnected together by upper and .lo-wer cross bars 33, 34 and the rearlegs 3| are connected together by a similar cross bar 35.

Arm rests 31 and 38 are pivotally connected at the sides of the chairbetween the upper ends of the leg frames I2 and the sides of the backframe I0, as for example by the pins or bolts 32 on the leg frame andthe pin or bolts 39 on the side rails I and I6 of the back frame I0.Supporting members or props yil!) and 4I are likewise pivoted to theback frame, preferably by the pins or bolts 39. The supporting members40 and 4I are connected together at their lower ends by a cross bar 42which extends laterally beyond the supporting members, the ends of saidcross bar being adapted to engage a notch or Vgroove in each of the rearlegs 3-I when the chair is set up. In order to fold the chair, the rodor cross bar 42 is disengaged from the rear legs whereuponthe back andseat frames, the front and rear legs 30 and 3l, the arm rests 31 and 38and the supporting members or props 40 and 4I may be compactly folded.

In order to brace the leg frames of the chair when the rchair is set upa bracing member 36 `connects the cross bars 33 and 42. The bracing,member 36 is preferably disposed midway between the leg frames as shownso that adequate bracing is effected by a single .bracing member inplace of the two or more members ordinarily employed.

When the chair is set up the back of the chair may be .adjusted asdesired by the occupant, the back frame I0 being pivotally movable withrespect to the leg frames and armrests upon the Ypins or bolts 39.Tilting of the back of the chair .causes the seat frame II to slideforwardly or backwardly upon the cross bar 33, the strips 25 and 26connected to side rails 2| and 22 constituting glider strips bearingupon'the bar 33. Suitable stop members such asV pins 43 may be providedupon the clamping strips 25 and 26 in order to limit the movement of theseat frame rearwardly. The seat frame is limited in its movement in theopposite direction by the engagement of the cross bar |.9 upon the lowerend of the back frame IllV with the under side ci the side rails 2| and22 of the seat frame. This bar I9 also limits the inclination of theback with respect tc the seat with the forward portion of the seatresting on the seat supporting bar 33.

It will be apparent that the described construction provides a chairhaving a minimum number of component parts and that said component partsare of simple character. The detailed construction of the chair,including the seat frame and the supporting members therefor may bemodied without departing from the scope of the invention. Thus, as shownin Fig. 3, thercross bar at the front of the seat frame may be omittedthereby providing a more comfortable chair.

The chair shown in Fig. 3 comprises a back 50, a seat 5i, leg frames 52,arm rests 53 and props 5d arranged in substantially the samesmanner asin the chair shown in Figs. l and 2. In place of the central bracingmember 36 two members 55 are provided adjacent the leg frames 52. lThebracing members 55 are secured at their iront ends to the front legs ofthe frames 52 by the pins or bolts 56. Rollers 5l are also pivotallysupported by the bolts 56 and are interposed between the legs 52 andbracing members 55. The side rails 53 of the seat frame are attached tothe seat 5l as for example by the glider strips 5S adapted to slide uponthe rollers 51. When the chair is set up the side rails 58 are bracedapart by reason of the location of the glider strips 59 between thefront legs 52 and the upper ends of the bracing members 55. When thechair is folded the side rails 58 are held apart bythe reenforcing barsor wires BD which maybe relatively light and flexible because they arenot required to withstand the strain imposed by the weight of theoccupant when the chair is set up. The bars or wires Se are preferablybowed downwardly as shown more clearly in Fig. 4 in order that the seat5I shall not Contact therewith when the chair is occupied. Obviously theform and arrangement of the cross members or cross bars @El underneaththe seat may be modified, if desired.

A further modification of the seat and the supporting means therefor isshown in Figs. 5 to '7. The chair shown in these figures comprises aback frame 6l, a seat frame 52, front and rear legs '53 and 64 on eachside of the chair, arm rests 65 and supporting members or props B5pivoted together in substantially the same manner as in the chairs shownin Figs. 1 to 4. The legs V63 and 64 are braced apart by the bracingmembers '61 corresponding to the members 55 in Figs, 3 and 4, saidbracing members being pivoted near the front ends thereof to the frontlegs 53 and arranged to support the side rails of the seat frame 52. Theback and seat of the chair may comprise strips of canvas or otherflexible material. As shown, the back of the chair is formed by alongitudinal canvas strip 'lll and a cross strip ll, and the seatcomprises strips l2 and i3. The usual cross bar between the front endsof the side rails of the seat frame 52 is omitted and cross bars 'li andl5 are provided at the rearend of said frame. The cross bar 'lll formsthe pivotal connection between the seat and back frames and the crossbar l5 is arranged behind the cross bar 'M to impart the necessaryrigidity to the seat frame when the chair is folded. When the chair. isset up the side rails of the seat -frame are held apart by engagementwith the guide plates 1l riveted or secured in any desired manner to theupper ends of the bracing members 5l. A glider strip 'i8 may be securedto the underside of each of the side railsof the seat frame 52 forengagement with the supporting members 6l. "Upon the tilting of the backframe when the chair is in use the extent of movement of the seat andback frames is limited by the stop pins 'l arranged to abut against theends of the bracing members 51.

Various embodiments of the invention have been described in detail forpurposes of illustration but it will be apparent that furthermodications of the construction of the chair may be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention as defined in the appendedclaims.

I claim:-

1..A folding chair including, leg frames at each side of the chair eachcomprising a front and a rear leg pivotally connected adjacent to theirupper ends, back and seat frames each having side rails pivotallyconnected adjacent to the rear end of the seat frame and lower end ofthe back frame as a rear supporting means for the seat, means betweenthe rear legs of said leg frames and pivotally connected with the siderails of the back for supporting the back, an arm rest between the pivotof the supporting means for the back and the upper ends of each legframe, a seat and back of flexible material on the seat and back frames,means for securing said exible material seat on said seat frameincluding strip members secured to the lower portions of the side railsof the seat frame clamping the flexible seat material to said side railsof the frame, and means cooperating with the front legs of said Vlegframes and the under side of said seat material securing strips forslidingly supporting the forward portion of said seat frame.

2. A chair comprising side frames connected by cross bars, a backpivotally supported between said side frames, a seat pivotally supportedby the back and slidable on one of said cross bars, said seat comprisingside bars and a flexible strip of material extending over the sidesthereof, clamping strips securing said flexible material on the undersides of the seat side bars and said strips slidingly engaging saidsupporting cross bar.

3.'A chair comprising side frames connected by cross bars, a backpivotally supported between said side frames, a seat pivotally supportedby the back and slidable on one of said cross bars,V

said seat comprising side bars and a flexible strip of materialextending over the sides thereof, clamping strips securing said flexiblematerial onY the under sides of the seat side bars and said stripsVslidingly engaging said supporting cross bar, and stop pins on the seatfor limiting the movement of the seat with respect to the frames.

4. A folding chair comprising foldable leg frames, a back frame pivotedto the leg frames, a seat frame pivoted to the back frame and supportedon the leg frames, said leg frames including front and rear legspivotally connected together at each side of the chair and said seatframe including side frame members, a strip of flexible materialconnected to the seat side frame members and providing a seat proper,means connecting the seat side frame members to one another at a pointremote from the front extremity of theseat leaving the said extremityopen and free of unyielding cross connecting members, and means carriedby the front legs of the chair and said seat side frame members forslidingly supporting the seat for backward and forward movement when thechair is set up.

5. A folding chair comprising foldable leg frames, a back frame pivotedto the leg frames, a seat frame pivoted to the back frame and supportedon the leg frames, said leg frames including front and rear legspivotally connected together on each side of the chair and said seatframe including side frame bars, a strip of flexible material connectedto the seat sidey bars and providing a seat proper, cross membersconnecting the seat side frame bars to one another at a point remotefrom the front extremity of the seat leaving the said extremity upon andfree of unyielding cross connecting members, and means carried by thefront legs of the chair and said seat side rails for slidably,supporting the seat for backward and forward movement when the chair isset up, said latter means being provided with means to brace theseatVside bars against inward movement.

6. A folding chair comprising foldable leg frames, a back frame pivotedto the leg frames, a seat frame pivoted to the back frame and supportedon the leg frames, said leg frames including front and rear legspivotally connected together at each side of the chair and said seatframe including side frame rails, a strip of flexible material connectedto the seat side rails and providing a seat proper, cross membersconnecting the seat side rails to one another at a point remote from thefront extremity'of the seat leaving the saidextremity open and free ofunyielding cross connecting members, means connected to the front legsproviding grooved supports for the front extremities of the seat siderails when the chair is set up, said latter rails being provided withrunners adapted to engage said supports when the chair is set up wherebythe said side rails are slidably supported for backward and forwardmovement and at the same time braced against inward movement.

7. A folding chair comprising foldable leg frames, aback frame pivotedto the leg frames, a seat frame pivoted to the back frame and supportedon the leg frames, said leg frames including front and rear legspivotally connected together on each side of the chair and said seatframe including side frame bars, a strip of flexible material connectedto the seat side bars and providing a seat proper, means connecting theseat side bars to one another at the rear extremity of the seat leavingthe front extremity thereof open and free of unyielding connectingmembers, means carried by the front legs of the chair and said seat siderails for slidably supporting the seat for backward and forward movementwhen the chair is set up, said latter means being provided with means tobrace the seat side bars against inward movement, and means connectingthe seat side bars to one another to brace said bars against inwardmovement when the chair is foldedand the seat raised.

ORVAL R. PLATTER.

